Zelpha Ruth Cottingham

Zelpha Ruth CottinghamZelpha Ruth (Dean) Cottingham, 89 of Wabash and formerly of Tipton died at 9:01 a.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 at Bickford Senior Living in Wabash.  She was born in Elwood on July 6, 1926 to Melvin Omer & Mabel (Conway) Dean.  On December 29, 1956 she married Gene Wade Cottingham and he preceded her in death on September 20, 1983.Zelpha was a bank teller in Windfall, Tipton and Elwood.  She had also worked as a bookkeeper with her husband at their dealership, Cottingham Chevrolet and Olds in Tipton.  She was a graduate of Windfall High School, Class of 1946.  She had been very active at New Hope Friends, Howard Chapel, Windfall Christian Church and South Marion Friends, all in Indiana, throughout her life.  Zelpha enjoyed cross-stitch, crocheting, macramé and sewing.Survivors include one son, Joseph Cottingham and wife Debbie, Tipton; two daughters, Lou Anne Cottingham, Cicero and Suzanne Peebles and husband Roger, Wabash; three grandchildren, Isaac Peebles, Emma Peebles and Kayla Jo Cottingham.  She was preceded in death by four brothers, Dwight Lovel Dean, Maurice Emil Dean, James Leroy Dean and Alton Lamaar Dean.Funeral services for Zelpha will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 5 at Young-Nichols Funeral Home, Tipton with Pastor Dave Phillips officiating and burial to follow in Fairview Cemetery, Tipton.  Visitation will be from 12:00 noon until the time of the service on Saturday.Memorial contributions in Zelpha's honor may be made to Johnson University, 7900 Johnson Dr., Knoxville, Tennessee, 37998.